The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Sentimental Education is the story of a group of core characters over the course of a number of years.
The protagonist is Frederic Moreau, who at the beginning of the novel has just finished his bachelor's degree in Paris and is heading home to spend the summer in Nogent, where his widowed mother lives.
On the boat journey on the Seine, he encounters two characters who will both play important roles in his life: M. Jacques Arnoux, a businessman and man of the world, and Mme Arnoux, who makes an instant impression on the romantic Frederic.

At Nogent we meet two more characters, Charles Deslauriers, his childhood friend, and le Pere Roque, a rich and uncultured man with good connections, who gives Frederic a letter of introduction to the wealthy M. Dambreuse.

In the fall, Frederic goes back to Paris for law school and is generally miserable. He's lonely and law school is really boring.
Three more characters which Frederic meets at one of his few social occasions are introduced: Baptiste Martinon, the Baron de Cisy and Senecal.

In Chapter Four the action in the book and in Paris picks up. There are signs of political unrest and demonstrations against the government, which at that time was a monarchy,
The character Dussardier, one of the demonstraters who was arrested, is helped by Frederic and his friends, is introduced.
At a social gathering of Arnoux's place of business, we meet Mlle Vatnaz, Pellerin the artist, and Regimbart, also known as the Citizen, Le Citoyen.
Frederic gets invited to dine at Arnoux's home, where he once again meets the charming Mme Arnoux.

The number of characters introduced in the first four chapters may seem overwhelming, but they will grow familiar to us over the course of the book.
Flaubert said, "I want to write the moral history of the men of my generation--or, more accurately, the history of their feelings."

What are your first impressions of the various characters, especially Frederic Moreau?
Also, please feel free to comment on any of the events in these chapters and as we progress through the book.

If you have any questions about the characters, the plot or French history, please don't hesitate to ask.

There is a time-line of French history in the background thread. Once we reach the year 1848, I will post more details of the events of those tumultuous years.

Thanks for the background information it’s very useful. By chance I remembered that my copy of Cousin Bette by Balzac included a map of 19th century Paris in the notes which I scanned in order to follow the characters around the city. Information and maps certainly adds to the understanding and enjoyment to the novel.

Having just finished the first four chapters, the two things that stood out for me were the descriptions of Frederic Moreau’s developing personality which the reader learns through Moreau’s own words and actions, and the detail in the descriptions of Paris and the places Moreau visits.

Flaubert describes in great detail the rooms in Arnoux’ house almost itemising every object in the room. Arnoux is described as a great patron of the arts so maybe the descriptions reflect his artistic taste.

As I read each chapter I feel like I am excusing Moreau’s infatuation for Madame Arnoux because of his youth, naivity and romantic temperament. However, I have to remember that I am reading a French novel, and one written by Flaubert, the writer of Madame Bovary. Having read that novel I do feel a little uneasy about his motives and the way his future aspirations all revolve around Arnoux’ wife.

I looked up the reference to the Marie Lafarge poisoning scandal (spoiler if you have not read Madame Bovary (view spoiler)[ which again reminded me of some elements of Flaubert’s Madame Bovary (hide spoiler)]) which was very interesting and provided more background to the time period. Here are the details…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_L...

I also found a map of Paris at Wikimedia Commons claiming to be from the 1840s. The 5000x4000 resolution map allows you to zoom in to street names etc and follow Frederic around.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...

You're welcome, Neil.
I agree that maps are very useful. My husband and I were on a trip to France in May and spent a couple of days in Paris so I some idea of where Frederic was walking. And Frederic did spend a lot of time walking since he knew so few people in Paris at first.

Thank you for the map, Neil.

I found some of Flaubert's descriptions dragged a bit, but being Flaubert, there must be a reason.

Frederic is so young for his age and to use a modern word-"clueless", but he's also harmless and lacking in experience.
Hopefully, he won't get too hurt as he gets older.

His friends are all so different. I can see Flaubert giving each character a label.
Do you have any suggestions for the various characters?

I'll start with Arnoux: a know-it-all man of the world, not entirely trustworthy.
Mme Arnoux: Frederic's ideal woman, to be worshipped from afar.

I read this a few years ago with a local group that gets together to read and speak French. It includes some people who are native French speakers and others who taught high school or college, and even they found Flaubert a bit long-winded in his descriptions. There is more like that later on.

Thanks for the warning, Robin!

Of course we were reading it in French, which made it harder!

I'm reading it in French, Robin.

Rosemarie wrote: "I'm reading it in French, Robin."

Good for you! It's not unusually difficult but there's just so much description. I suppose that is the "naturalism" of the period (though the story also has elements of romanticism.)

Frederic's character certainly tends to the romantic side.

I enjoy this style of writing as I am not looking for plots and happy endings. Characters come and go in every chapter and it is the said characters that create the interest. Its more like a serial, or if it was televised a soap opera. I read this book earlier in the year, and its even better second time around. What I enjoyed most about the first four chapters is the close friendship between Frederic and Charles Deslauriers, Frederic divides his bedding and sleeps in the box room for Charles' benefit, etc.

Rosemarie wrote: "His friends are all so different. I can see Flaubert giving each character a label.
Do you have any suggestions for the various characters?

I'll start with Arnoux: a know-it-all man of the world, not entirely trustworthy.
Mme Arnoux: Frederic's ideal woman, to be worshipped from afar.

..."

I didn’t mind the descriptions because they allowed me to focus in on mid nineteenth century Paris and get a sense of the time and atmosphere.

As for the characters my first impressions have been formed with a healthy scepticism. It is early days and I hope to be able to get a better understanding of the characters as the novel progresses.

I agree with you about Arnoux and those who come and sit in his offices all day seem like sycophants, hoping to get on the gravy train or as Eric Cantona, another famous French man, once said, ’ "When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea."

I am not putting Moreau into the sycophant category (yet) because his motives for visiting Arnoux’ offices were different from most of the rest. I had to laugh when Moreau finally realised that Madame Arnoux was hardly ever there.

Madame Arnoux’ brief appearances haven’t given us enough to form an opinion about her character. Did she deliberately give Moreau her arm at the dinner to give him a thrill or was it maybe a request from her husband?

It was obvious Moreau wasn’t alone in admiring Madame Arnoux and maybe the rest of the men there were envious of Moreau being chosen. One of the hangers on did tell Moreau that she was faithful to her husband even though he himself was not. The fact that she remembered Moreau immediately after only a brief meeting on the boat does indicate that he had made some sort of lasting impression which could either be a good or a bad thing from his point of view.

I haven’t made up my mind about Deslauriers yet. I am not sure whether his influence will have a positive or negative effect on Moreau’s future development.

Frederic retrieved a shawl that had blown out of reach for Mme Arnoux on the boat journey on the Seine. Frederic acted like a knight serving his lady-after all, he is a very romantic young man.

Another character I didn't mention earlier is introduced in Chapter Four, M. Hussonnet.
M. and Mme Dambreuse are mentioned a few times, but they haven't made their appearances yet.

So many years ago I started reading this book as an undergraduate, was interrupted and just now returned. It seems an excellent portrait of a young romantic falling in love with experience of falling in love. Amusingly, student demonstrations and protests have hardly changed a bit. Nor has the thrill of discovering artistic and intellectual circles and imagining being a cultural sophisticate.

My impressions exactly!